Klopp Predicts Impactful Luis Diaz Return

Hearts dropped back in October when new recruit Luis Diaz went hobbling off the pitch with a knee injury. While it wasn’t a worst-case scenario with a knee injury, the Colombian international has still missed three months of the season.

After the red hot start he had to his Liverpool career when he arrived last January, his absence has been felt in the lack of inspiration up front this season. The team has struggled as a result.

However, Jürgen Klopp is hopeful that Diaz’s recovery period is coming to an end, and that the player may even be back in full training soon to help the Reds battle through the last handful of games this season.

While the spring won’t bring the chance for the quadruple like last season, Liverpool likely will be fighting all the way down to the wire to get into the top four. They will need all of the help they can get.

When asked about what the manager expects from the 26-year-old when upon his return, Klopp made sure to emphasize that he will likely not jump in back at full strength, but that he still anticipates him making an impact.

“When he is back he will be really good and very impactful, of course. That is clear. How quickly, I don’t know. We have to see. That’s the big challenge in these moments. There’s no time for being patient but you have to be patient,” he said.

“I’m positive about him that there’s a good chance to have a real impact in 10, 11, 12 games maybe. We will see how long it exactly takes. It’s estimated that maybe next week he will be warming up with the team and then maybe a week later being in team training. That would be cool. But you always have to wait.”

After the return fixture against Real Madrid on March 15th, the players will be going away to represent their countries for the international break. Hopefully, that will be the extra time Diaz needs to get ready to attack the end of the season.